Quality of Life in Iranian War Veterans: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Soldiers encounter various physical and mental outcomes after military wars which adversely affect different aspects of their quality of life. The aim of the present review was to determine the total score of quality of life in Iranian war veterans.
In current systematic review and meta-analysis, searches were conducted in national and international databases using keywords “war veteran” and “quality of life” and their combinations. Data were analyzed using meta-analysis and random effects model methods. Heterogeneity between the studies was evaluated using the I2 test. Data were analyzed using STATA software version 12.
Analyzing 19 selected studies with a total sample size of 2575 participants showed that the mean scores of the physical and mental aspects of quality of life in Iranian war veterans were 41.6 (confidence interval of 95%: 37.69-47.02) and 42.22 (confidence interval of 95%: 37.04-47.40), respectively. The lowest scores of physical (28.79 with a confidence interval of 95%: 21.92-35.66) and mental (33.86 with a confidence interval of 95%: 25.08-42.64) dimensions of quality of life belonged to chemical war veterans.
Iranian war veterans have a low physical and mental quality of life and providing strategies for improving their quality of life seems necessary.